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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 10 Hansard (25 September) . . Page.. 3389 ..

to respond to doping practice issues by providing a professional support service to the local sporting community on matters relating to drugs in sport.

The unit focuses on the development and implementation of drugs in sport education strategies to increase the skills and knowledge of the ACT sporting community generally, and of State Sporting Organisations (SSO's) in particular. It's broad strategies are:

- to provide drugs in sport education to ACTAS, and information to coaches, administrators and medical staff; and

- to assist SSO's to understand the International Olympic Committee list of banned methods and substances.

(ii) A contractual agreement between ACTAS and the athletes supported under its programs requires that each athlete will make every effort to become aware of the doping practices provisions of their sport. To assist in this process ACTAS runs annual drug education sessions for squads and individual athletes, specific to their sports where appropriate.

The sessions are presented by the SDEU and involve education on the various categories of performance enhancing drugs, which drugs and medications are permitted, and which are banned. Each athlete is provided with the latest ASDA Handbook which outlines the restricted and permitted drugs and medications and other information.

(iii) The Sport and Recreation Minister's Council (SRMC) produced a National Drugs in Sport Framework in late 1996 which provides a consistent national approach to the issue of doping practices in sport. The NDISF covers policy development, education and drug testing.

The ACT is currently redeveloping the ACT Government Drugs in Sport Policy, which has been in place since 1990, to reflect the NDISF. This process is being assisted by a community based advisory committee, and drafts of a new policy have been distributed to sporting organisations, and comments received.

(3) The cost of these programs and the source of the funds are as follows:

SDEU

1995/96 $6,511 for office accommodation and resources for the SDEU officer.
(Salaries were paid by ASDA during trial year).

l996/97 $21,087 - office accommodation, resources and partial salaries payment.

1997/98 about $12,000 - agreement with ASDA renegotiated so that SDEU officer will also be taking on national duties to be paid from ASDA sources.

All ACT contributions are from the BSR&R budget allocations. The output class reference for 1996/97 was 2.3 and 2.2 for 1997/98.

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